Canada stays unbeaten with extra-end wins over Denmark, U.S. at curling worlds

BASEL, Switzerland – It was a perfect weekend in the standings for Canada at the men’s world curling championship, even it wasn’t always perfection on the ice.

Canada improved to 3-0 with a 10-9 win over the United States in the late draw at Basel’s St. Jakobshalle arena. It was Canada’s second extra-end win of the day, as Kevin Koe and his Calgary rink put themselves in situations where they had to make tough, high pressure shots to win.

Earlier, Canada fought back for an 11-8 extra-end win over Denmark that required a tough takeout on Koe’s last rock.

“It’s hard for us. We’re just so used to making so many shots, and we’re missing shots here by 20 feet, easy,” Koe said. “It’s tough to get draw weight out here.

“But you know what? It’s the same for both teams. The sheets will get worked in and more consistent as the week goes on. We got lucky today, but we’re 3-and-0.”

Canada escaped the weekend tied atop the round-robin standings with defending champion Sweden. Niklas Edin’s rink improved to 3-0 with an 8-4 win over Germany.

In other scores from the tournament’s fifth draw, Japan beat Switzerland 9-6 and Denmark downed Finland 9-2.

Japan and Denmark moved into a five-way tie for fifth at 2-1 with Norway, Russia and Scotland.

Canada was almost part of that logjam when American skip John Shuster made an impressive runback double takeout to score three in the ninth end and take a 9-7 lead.

But Koe, backed up by third Marc Kennedy, second Brent Laing and lead Ben Hebert, hit for a deuce in the 10th end to force the extra frame.

Canada caught a massive break in the 11th end when U.S. third Tyler George’s peel attempt on a Canadian guard jammed, and left the Canadians sitting one rock in the four-foot ring.

Shuster attempted a double takeout for the win, but was wide.

“You can’t lose games like that and expect to win a world championship,” said Shuster, whose team dropped to 1-2. “We played great, and we’ve played better every game so we can build off that. But, we gotta wins those ones, bottom line. No reason to sugarcoat it.”

In the afternoon draw, Canada fell behind Denmark early when Rasmus Stjerne made a marvellous double-takeout in the second end to score three. After holding Canada to a single in the fourth, the Danes took advantage of a Koe miss in the fifth to steal one and take a 5-2 lead at the intermission.

Canada rebounded with two in the sixth and a key steal of two in the seventh en route to a close win.

“Honestly? I’m not really worried, just because we are 3-and-0,” Koe said of his team’s early play. “We escaped a little today, but we’re 3-and-0, I know this team, I know we’re going to get better, I know we’ll pick up on the ice, and I think the ice will get a little more consistent as well. I think we’re in a great spot.”

The Canadians face Scotland and Japan on Monday.

Canada hasn’t won world gold since 2012 when Glenn Howard was victorious at St. Jakobshalle.

Koe won world gold with a different team in 2010 in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy. He finished fourth in 2014 in Beijing.